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Inland Taipan Oxyuranus microlepidotus

Although the Inland Taipan has the most potent venom of any land snake on earth. It is usually quite shy in nature. Taipan venom is overwhelmingly neurotoxic and thus nervous system is severely affected. Symptoms include vomiting, flaccid paralysis, and eventual respiratory paralysis.

The back, sides and tail may be buff-grey to greyish brown, buff-brown, brown or reddish dark brown. The round-Snouted head and neck are usually darker than he body (glossy black in winter, dark brown in summer). The eye is of average size with a blackish brown iris.

The Inland Taipan shelters in rat burrows (probably having eaten the original owners), in deep soil cracks and sink holes, and sometimes in rock crevices and deep fissures. It feeds on small to medium-sized mammals. The extremely potent venom acts so quickly that the snake can hold the prey until it succumbs without itself suffering injury. In times of plenty, the Inland Taipan can become quite fat; during prolonged drought, it can starve and become remarkably thin.

It is usually most active on the surface in the early half of the morning when it bask. In cooler weather, it is also active in the afternoon; in hot weather it becomes nocturnal.